It’s February. Over the past couple of weeks Disney Parks have been putting up construction walls all over the place, including around some of its most popular icons. The Hub in Magic Kingdom park is getting a complete overhaul, and the Partners Statue is in a box. Sleeping Beauty castle in Disneyland is boarded up for […]

It’s February. Over the past couple of weeks Disney Parks have been putting up construction walls all over the place, including around some of its most popular icons. The Hub in Magic Kingdom park is getting a complete overhaul, and the Partners Statue is in a box. Sleeping Beauty castle in Disneyland is boarded up for its diamond treatment. The Sorcerer’s Hat in Disney’s Hollywood Studios is almost gone!

So what happens when you visit at a low-crowd, high-refurbishment time of year and all your classic picture spots have fake curtains, walls or cranes? Find new photo spots! Even if the picture you post on Facebook doesn’t have Cinderella Castle behind you, most people will recognize where you are. Here are some great spots where you can get a fabulous Walt Disney World family picture:

Magic Kingdom

If you glance at a map of this park, you could spot a dozen different picture spots. While some of the old locations have changed with the addition of New Fantasyland and Storybook Circus, the most iconic are still available, along with some great new shots. Here are some of them:

Splash Mountain (watch out for water!)

Big Thunder Mountain

Haunted Mansion (tons of great shots for this one)

The Liberty Belle

Epcot

It is very difficult to know a time in Walt Disney World’s history where Epcot’s Spaceship Earth has been refurbished on the outside. (The Wand addition and removal is one time I can remember.) However, if the giant icon is experiencing Crane Syndrome, any of the show buildings in Future World and World Showcase would be great. Here are my favorites:

The Seas external sign (with the gulls or with the main characters)

Inside The Land: seasonal hot-air balloons

Italy pavilion

Canada pavilion

Japan’s torii

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Disney maps have started using the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror as the new icon of the park (though I’m still a big fan of the Earful Tower). I’m not going to use that one in this blog. Hopefully the Chinese Theater will stay unobstructed for a while once the Sorcerer’s Hat is completely removed. (I’m looking forward to those pictures!) But while we wait for those shots, here are some other great locations:

The Streets of America

The AT-AT at Star Tours (my favorite photo location!)

The speederbike

The Muppet fountain

Animal Kingdom

There are a lot of great locations here besides the Tree of Life. While it may be hard for people to tell these are Disney locations, they are still great places to take a picture:

The Forbidden Mountain

Pick a drum and have a ball!

Shots with animals! (be careful!)

Other Great Photo Spots

Not every iconic photo needs to be taken in the parks, not every photo needs to be with a popular building or prop, and sometimes the best pictures are the spontaneous ones!

You can take shots at your favorite resort hotel:

The giant icons at Pop Century

The Grand Floridian

You can time your picture perfectly with the moving (or stopped) monorail:

The monorail circling Epcot

Or you could just completely forget the icons and just take character pictures till the cows come home!

Remember the Rapunzel and Flynn meet-and-greet? Reminds me of 2011!

No matter where your photographic eye takes you in the Disney Parks, you are bound to take a great shot. And you don’t need those giant park icons to get it!

Do you have a favorite picture spot that’s off the beaten path? Are you just counting the days till the construction walls come down around the icons? Do you envision any NEW picture locations that will be coming in the future? Comment below!

Construction — or as we say here, Kongstruction — for the officially unannounced (but increasingly obvious) Project 340 continues to advance at an amazing rate. As you can see below in my latest Kongstruction photo update, the framework for this new ride’s show building is beginning to loom large over the land of Jurassic Park […]

Construction — or as we say here, Kongstruction — for the officially unannounced (but increasingly obvious) Project 340 continues to advance at an amazing rate. As you can see below in my latest Kongstruction photo update, the framework for this new ride’s show building is beginning to loom large over the land of Jurassic Park at Islands of Adventure.

Frozen is huge. It’s bigger than Elsa’s ice castle. Or her abominable snow-monster body guard. And people won’t be “letting it go” any time soon. So, if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em! Here are some ways to keep that Frozen spirit alive and with you every day. Make Up This post gave me an excuse […]

Frozen is huge. It’s bigger than Elsa’s ice castle. Or her abominable snow-monster body guard. And people won’t be “letting it go” any time soon.

So, if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em! Here are some ways to keep that Frozen spirit alive and with you every day.

Make Up

This post gave me an excuse to play with my make up for the first time in forever, so here is a look inspired by Elsa. All you need is some purple and pink eye shadow. Apply the purple all over the lid. From there, add a darker pink to the crease and blend. If you’re feeling crazy, add some glitter and fake eye lashes like I did. In order to do the side-by-side comparison justice, I had to perform a bit of photoshop magic to make me appear porcelain and blue-eyed. These things don’t come naturally!

Top: Snowy Arendelle Bottom: Olaf-Inspired

Nails

I tried at least four times to draw a snow flake on my nails for you all. Unfortunately, my hand is about as steady as a three-legged Sven. Although I didn’t color completely in the lines, here are two nail looks I created. For snowy Arendelle nails, paint your nails a light blue color. After the paint has dried, take a tooth pick and dot polish on the nails, alternating between white and silver. To achieve my Olaf-inspired nails, paint your nails white and use a q-tip to dot them with a blackpolish. Top with glitter if you like and there you have it!

Clothes

This one is pretty easy. To get into the Frozen spirit, dress for the cold! Hats, gloves, scarves. This is an eternal Winter we’re talking about! If you want a taste, come to Minnesota in January. To avoid those outrageous prices at Oaken’s Trading Post, i’ll gladly loan you the appropriate snow attire. Seriously though, if you want to Disney Bound Frozen style, check out this Pinterest board. There’s fashion for everyone, from Anna to the Duke of Weasel..I mean, Weselton.

A messy Anna braid. As she was busy chasing after her sister, I highly doubt she had a brush handy.

Hair

Since it’s the holiday season, this would be a fun look to try at a party. Take some tinsel (you know, those thin strips of shiny foil you can decorate your tree with) and attach it to a bobby pin. Take said bobby pin and clip into your hair. As you can see in the photo, I put the pin in and braided the tinsel into my hair. Not only will the tinsel appear more subtle, but it will look like Anna’s strip of silvery white hair without the dye or hair chalk.

Personality

You don’t have to play dress up or apply make up to get into the Frozen mood. Your attitude can play a huge role! You can take attributes of the different characters and apply them to your own life. Anna is an eternal optimist. Her spunky, caring and energetic personality is something to be admired. To maintain a positive attitude like Anna, I try to write in a gratitude journal or compliment someone every day. Although Elsa was controlled and fearful for some time, she finally let down her guard to reveal a warm and playful personality. She reminds me to never take life too seriously, have fun and always stay young at heart.

How about it? Would you try any of these looks out? What ideas do you have? Let me know in the comments!

It took nearly two months of waiting, but my precious pre-ordered iPhone 6 Plus finally arrived last week. And where was one of the first places I took it? Why, Walt Disney World, of course! When Apple’s supersized smartphone debuted back in September, this Techcrunch article on using the new “phablet” inside Disneyland caught my […]

Find out how the iPhone 6 Plus holds up at WDW’s Magic Kingdom (images by Seth Kubersky)

It took nearly two months of waiting, but my precious pre-ordered iPhone 6 Plus finally arrived last week. And where was one of the first places I took it? Why, Walt Disney World, of course! When Apple’s supersized smartphone debuted back in September, this Techcrunch article on using the new “phablet” inside Disneyland caught my eye. Since theme park reporting is one of the primary reasons I upgraded my iDevice, I wanted to write this companion piece sharing my initial experiences using the iPhone 6 Plus at WDW’s Magic Kingdom.

Size

Yes, the iPhone 6 Plus is freaking ginormous, especially for the first few hours you hold it. Then it starts to seem normal, and your old phone begins to look puny in comparison. While riding attractions, the phone fit fine in the front pocket of my not-so-skinny jeans, and emerged again afterwards with nary a bend in sight.
I never found the phone’s size a hinderance while navigating the park, and though typing one-handed is much trickier, the greater legibility of the larger screen more than made up for it.

As an added bonus, the new screen also looks less reflective, meaning it’s more legible in the direct sunlight which is often found in abundance at Orlando’s attractions.

Wi-Fi

Walt Disney World’s widely distributed Wi-Fi system is more robust than the one at Universal Orlando, but my old iPhone would still sometimes struggle to maintain an internet connection in the park, especially when entering and exiting buildings. Though I can’t quantify the improvement, the iPhone 6 Plus appeared less likely to drop back to LTE service, and was quicker to reconnect to Wi-Fi when it did.

Battery

The increased battery capacity of the iPhone 6 Plus is its best feature, but it has also been a bit oversold. After five hours of constant in-park photo-snapping, video-recording, and tweet-sending, my battery went from 100% to below 40%. That isn’t exactly the 2 full days without recharging some reviewers have reported. But it is a substantial improvement over my old iPhone 5S, which I could completely drain (along with a pocket-sized external battery pack) in about 4 hours of heavy theme park usage.

Working charging stations are located at Storybook Circus, in case your smartphone’s battery isn’t as robust as the one in the iPhone 6 Plus.

The iPhone 6 Plus’s extended battery life means I’ll spend less time searching the Magic Kingdom for an accessible electrical outlet. That’s a task made tougher by the removal of the charging station that was located in Cosmic Ray’s over the summer (though I was told by the device’s distributor that they may return), and the continued inoperability of the USB charging ports installed at Fantasyland’s Tangled rest area. Luckily for wall-hugging users of legacy iPhones, the charging stations in Storybook Circus were still functioning fine at last check — plus, the former FastPass+ service area where they are located is almost always empty.

Camera

The biggest selling point of the iPhone 6 Plus for me was the upgraded camera, which features optical image stabilization and faster autofocus. I don’t have an iPhone 6 to compare it to, but the iPhone 6 Plus camera is a noticeable improvement over my iPhone 5S, which was already quite good for a smartphone snapshooter.

The new continuous autofocus really shines in video mode, which also boasts improved “cinematic” video stabilization. You can see the result it this footage I shot of the Jingle Cruise; note how the camera handles shifts from foreground to background focus, as well as exposure changes from light to dark areas.

Even better is the still camera’s performance, especially in low light situations with camera motions — like inside one of the Magic Kingdom’s classic dark rides. Obviously, no point-and-shoot lens will ever equal a dedicated DSLR in difficult shooting conditions, but these are by far the best flash-free dark ride photos I’ve ever taken with a camera phone:

I’ll admit it: I was skeptical. When I first heard that The Cowfish — the North Carolina-based restaurant concept combining sushi and burgers into “burgushi” — was coming to Universal Orlando, I didn’t have much hope for the fishy fusion, even if it did involve two of my favorite foods. But now, after eating at […]

Take a first look inside Cowfish Orlando, the new sushi & burger restaurant at Universal’s CityWalk (photos by Seth Kubersky).

I’ll admit it: I was skeptical. When I first heard that The Cowfish — the North Carolina-based restaurant concept combining sushi and burgers into “burgushi” — was coming to Universal Orlando, I didn’t have much hope for the fishy fusion, even if it did involve two of my favorite foods. But now, after eating at Cowfish Orlando on its first night of “soft opening” to the public, I’m sold! Enjoy these Cowfish Orlando photos from our first look inside the sure-to-be-popular eatery, which should now be open daily at CityWalk.

Cowfish Orlando Exterior

Cowfish occupies both a portion of CityWalk’s ground level real estate between Red Oven Pizza and VIVO, and the second story site where the complex’s original Starbucks Coffee once sat. The look is clean, colorful, and a bit whimsical, with massive representations of the restaurant’s namesake animals.

On the second floor, you’ll find this casual outdoor bar and eating patio across from Red Coconut Club.

Cowfish Orlando Interior

The ironic ultra-modern motif continues inside the restaurant, starting with the giant-screen virtual fishtanks in the entryway, a continuing through the goofy bathroom signage. The bar and dining areas are clean and brightly lit, but still provide some cozy corners, along with striking views of the CityWalk complex below.

Cowfish Orlando Menus

Just as expected, the Cowfish Orlando menu is split between gourmet hamburgers and elaborate sushi, with a few options combining to two genres.

Cocktail choices are also extensive….

…as is the decadent dessert menu.

There’s even a kids’ menu with bento boxes, that doubles as an origami activity sheet.

Cowfish Orlando Food

For our first meal at Cowfish, we ordered two appetizers — the blackened tuna nachos, and spicy togarishi shrimp — plus a fusion bento box, which featured a cheeseburger slider and spicy tuna “Boss” makimono, along with a trio of side dishes.

The food was more than enough to satisfy two hungry adults, and we were already stuffed by the time dessert arrived. Despite being full, we couldn’t resist the cake-like “sushi” roll, fruit shortcake, or cookies with mint chocolate milk.

Cowfish Orlando Initial Impressions

I was admittedly apprehensive about Cowfish, but came away from our opening night dinner greatly impressed. A couple items could have used a touch more salt, or a little more crispness, but overall the flavor profiles were creative and well-balanced, and portion sizes were more than adequate for the price.

Much like VIVO and Antojitos before it, Cowfish makes a great first impression. We’ll be visiting again in the near future to make sure it continues to live up to its potential. But our initial impression is that it makes a great option when your group can’t agree whether to eat American or Asian, and wants the best of both worlds.

Full disclosure: I fully intended to pay for our food, and attempted to, but a manager recognized me and insisted on comping the meal. When I return (in disguise) on future visits I’ll be paying full price.

It’s been several months since we last stopped by our new favorite retro-modern hotel, Universal Orlando‘s Cabana Bay Beach Resort, so the other afternoon I took a stroll around property for a Cabana Bay Garden Bridge construction photo update. Ever since the moderately priced property opened this past summer, Cabana Bay guests’ transportation options […]

It’s been several months since we last stopped by our new favorite retro-modern hotel, Universal Orlando‘s Cabana Bay Beach Resort, so the other afternoon I took a stroll around property for a Cabana Bay Garden Bridge construction photo update.

Ever since the moderately priced property opened this past summer, Cabana Bay guests’ transportation options have consisted of buses to the parking hub, or a 10 minute walk along the unglamorous north side of Hollywood Way.

Soon, the final element of Cabana Bay’s amenities will open, as the long-awaited garden bridge and walking path is nearing completion. This heavily landscaped and ADA-compliant pathway passes the future site of Sapphire Falls, Universal’s recently announced 5th hotel, before joining up with Royal Pacific‘s walking path.

When complete, the new walking path may actually take more time to traverse than the current sidewalks, but the journey will be safer and more scenic. No opening date has been announced, but as soon as the garden bridge is available we’ll have a POV video of the walk.

Thanks to the TouringPlans #Everywhere project, I recently spent nearly two weeks away from Universal Orlando, which is an eternity given the rapid pace of construction at the resort. Most notably, the mysterious construction zone behind Islands of Adventure‘s Jurassic Park was (when I left) just a formless plot of earth, but now holds the foundation […]

Thanks to the TouringPlans #Everywhere project, I recently spent nearly two weeks away from Universal Orlando, which is an eternity given the rapid pace of construction at the resort. Most notably, the mysterious construction zone behind Islands of Adventure‘s Jurassic Park was (when I left) just a formless plot of earth, but now holds the foundation for a enormous future edifice. Attention Kongstruction watchers: Project 340 vertical construction has started in big way, as structural steel for a massive new show building has been erected for a yet-unconfirmed Skull Island attraction.

Here is a gallery of photos depicting recent progress on the upcoming ride, which is rumored to combine indoor/outdoor dark ride elements with 3-D screens to ressurect King Kong, Universal Studio Florida’s original icon. Leaks suggest this building may become the massive facade of an ancient jungle temple.

This is what guests now see as they enter Jurassic Park.

[Note: All construction photos are taken from guest-accessible locations; no off-limits or backstage areas.]

The construction site as seen from the top of Camp Jurassic.

We probably won’t get to ride the return of the King until 2016, but we’ll keep you informed on the ape’s progress until then both here and via twitter with ongoing #Kongstruction updates.

Well, it looks like the monkey is out of the bag. For months, we’ve been mentioning the movement on Project 340, or as we like to call it, Kongstruction. Universal’s officially unannounced construction in the expansion pad behind Jurassic Park‘s Thunder Falls Terrace at Islands of Adventure recently required the removal of an iconic Jurassic Park archway. […]

Kongstruction has consumed an iconic Jurassic Park arch at Islands of Adventure (photos by Seth Kubersky)

Well, it looks like the monkey is out of the bag. For months, we’ve been mentioning the movement on Project 340, or as we like to call it, Kongstruction. Universal’s officially unannounced construction in the expansion pad behind Jurassic Park‘s Thunder Falls Terrace at Islands of Adventure recently required the removal of an iconic Jurassic Park archway.

Note: all photos were taken from guest-accessible areas. Don’t trespass!

Universal already has a theme park partnership with Legendary, which also produced the new Godzilla film. That makes a 2016 attraction tied to a big-screen King Kong reboot seem like a synergistic no-brainer. But we don’t expect any formal announcements of Universal’s next expansion phase until after this year’s Halloween Horror Nights opens, at the earliest.

In the meantime, here are photos from recent weeks depicting the rapid transformation of the border between Toon Lagoon and Jurassic Park. Most notably, the Jurassic Park stone entryway arch has been removed entirely. We’ve heard it will eventually be rebuilt closer to the Thunder Falls restaurant.

First there was just one…

…and then they were both gone.

RIP Jurassic Park arch, may you return soon!

Keep checking back, and follow us on Twitter (@touringplans) for further #Kongstruction updates, as well as the latest on everything new around Universal Orlando.

Legoland, Florida’s latest theme park, bills itself as “geared to families with children ages 2 to 12”. The park sports attractions, including four beginner coasters, but all are specifically for kids and their parents, so what were a couple of forty-somethings doing there without kids in tow? I’m glad you asked. Legoland was developed on […]

Legoland, Florida’s latest theme park, bills itself as “geared to families with children ages 2 to 12”. The park sports attractions, including four beginner coasters, but all are specifically for kids and their parents, so what were a couple of forty-somethings doing there without kids in tow?

Lego-built truck welcomes you to Miniland at Legoland Florida. Photo by Thomas Cook

I’m glad you asked.

Legoland was developed on the grounds of Cypress Gardens, a park that opened in 1936. Often called Florida’s first theme park, Cypress Gardens was a large botanical garden to which water ski shows were added during World War II. Comprising 150 acres, it’s one of the larger botanical gardens in the United States.

Legoland has kept the gardens looking the way they did for decades. This part of the park is truly wonderful. There are superb examples of native and exotic plants, a series of charming canals and one of the largest banyan trees in the world. There are curving pathways that lead to surprise vistas such as the shore of Lake Eloise, an audience with a large golden Buddha, sloping and sculpted lawns, even an historic swimming pool in the shape of the Sunshine State.

Old Cypress Gardens landscape with Lake Eloise in the background at Legoland Florida. Photo by Thomas Cook

Guests regularly come across striking flowers, fascinating sculptures and attractive bridges over the canals. A patient guest can spot native wild animals in the gardens as well. In the time we spent there we spotted numerous bird species, as well as turtles, squirrels, lizards, butterflies, dragonflies and even a local cat friendly enough to pet.

The best thing about the hour and a half we spent in the gardens was the lack of other guests. While the rest of the park was bustling with kids, in this area we saw at most twenty other guests. My friend and I both had cameras clicking because we love to photograph nature. We really enjoyed our time there.

I also like that Legoland has chosen not to put Lego structures or figures in the gardens. At the entrance are full-sized Lego southern belles which recall the local young ladies clothed in antebellum dresses that were a long-time fixture of Cypress Gardens. Truthfully, I wish Legoland would bring back the southern belles as they were always a highlight of my visit to the park, but Legoland said recently they have no plans to do so.

As for the rest of the park there are a number of interesting attractions that adults will enjoy. Obviously, if you’re an AFOL (Adult Fan of Legos), you’ve probably already planned for your first visit, but what if you think you’ve outgrown the classic building toy?

The first thing we did is ride Island in the Sky. This is a large saucer-shaped structure on the end of a long arm. Guests sit in a circle around its edge and the arm peacefully lifts into the air. It rises 150 feet and rotates leisurely to give excellent views of the park and the surrounding area. It’s a fun ride, especially since the attraction doesn’t lock guests in a sealed car. The opportunity to feel the breeze and hear the sounds of the park while riding is very refreshing. I’d suggest doing it more than once on a humid day.

Island in the Sky attraction at Legoland Florida. Photo by Thomas Cook

We then wandered over to the shore of Lake Eloise and entered the Fresh from Florida Greenhouse, an interesting exhibit that gives a lighthearted but informative look at food production from farm to table. Along with water features and plants, Lego figures, including a full-sized Lego cow with “working” udders, keep the attention of older as well as younger explorers. The area next to the greenhouse is a broad grassy area that is also pleasant to explore.

The most iconic area in all Legoland theme parks is called Miniland. This is the area in each park that contains 1/20 scale dioramas of real cities and other locations, real and fantasy. At Legoland Florida, there are models of the downtowns of several Florida cities, including Miami, Key West, Tampa, St. Augustine and Tallahassee. There are also prominent Florida locations such as nearby Bok Tower and Kennedy Space Center. Miniland also features views of the cities of New York, Washington, San Francisco and Las Vegas, a pirate village and the newly completed Star Wars Land (embracing scenes from all six movies). There are interactive aspects to Miniland: buttons to press that move vehicles, spray water and even launch the Space Shuttle. Of course, this area is chock-full of kids, but it’s hard to believe that adults won’t find all the Lego structures captivating. There is certainly plenty to view in just this one area.

Miniland street scene at Legoland Florida. Photo by Thomas Cook

When we visited, there were Lego characters in parts of the park. Maybe hanging with pirates or a “star” of the recent Lego movie isn’t your idea of adult fun, but I’ve found that interacting with characters, regardless of the theme park, can be a fun diversion. Go ahead, play around.

Cypress Gardens was once known as the Water Ski Capital of the World, and rightly so. Dozens of records were set over a forty year period; the 1950 and 1957 world championships were held there; and Cypress Garden’s legendary founder, Dick Pope was one of the first inductees in the U.S. Water Skiing Hall of Fame. Over the years, millions of guests were thrilled as skilled professionals did the extraordinary. Legoland continues that tradition with the Pirates Cove Live Action Water Stunt Show and as in the past skiing on water is fun for all ages.

Dining options tend to be child-friendly, which is to be expected, however Christopher Jones, a spokesperson for Legoland says: “Legoland Florida offers…food options inside the park that adults will enjoy, ranging not just from sandwiches and salads but also Asian Fusion (The Market Restaurant), Pizza (Pizza/Pasta Buffet) and Chicken (Fried Chicken Restaurant)”. We also saw the following menu items: rotisserie chicken, grilled salmon, soups as well as panini of chicken Florentine, roast beef and havarti cheese and Panzanella (a vegetarian option).

Rosebud, Legoland Florida. Photo by Thomas Cook

At this point, don’t expect a fine dining option, but Jones mentioned that Legoland is “always evaluating its options to provide the best for its guest”. With the new Legoland Hotel expected to open in 2015, we might see a more upscale dining experience there.

So the nuts and bolts of Legoland Florida:

Legoland’s website offers discounts on some pre-purchased tickets. They offer tickets with a pre-chosen date (Pick-a-Date) and a more expensive “Flexible Date” ticket, with or without same-day water park admission.

Legoland only:

Pick-a-Date: Adult (13+) 1 Day from $69; 2 Day from $84 – Child (3-12)/Senior (60+) 1 Day from $62; 2 Day from $77

It appears that if you order Pick-a-Date tickets online for a day within a week of the date of your order, the price is higher ($74 instead of $69 for a 1 day park ticket). The website also says that tickets booked on the wrong date require a $20 re-booking fee to change.

Old Cypress Gardens still exists at Legoland Florida. Photo by Thomas Cook

Legoland/Water Park Combo Tickets (same day admission):

Pick-a-Date: Adult (13+) 1 Day from $84; 2 Day from $99 – Child (3-12)/Senior (60+) 1 Day from $77; 2 Day from $92

There isn’t an online option for flexible date tickets for combo tickets.

Parking: At park – $14; online – $12

Legoland Shuttle – $5 per person: Round trip bus transportation Universal Blvd in Orlando. Pick up time is 9:00 am. They ask guests to arrive thirty minutes prior to departure. It leaves Legoland at park close. Reservations must be made before 11:30 am the day before.

The website states Legoland is open seven days a week, but can be closed on some Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The website’s calendar shows that closed dates are at non-peak times but check before you plan your visit.

For a look at a basic Touring Plan for Legoland check out this 2012 post.

All in all, is Legoland worth the 35 mile trip from Walt Disney World for child-free adults? I’d say a qualified yes. It’s certainly something different, so if you are an AFOL or love gardens and nature you’re going to see some great things.

Please share any Legoland experiences you’ve had in the comments. We all want to hear more.

Everyone has a favorite Disney park; the one you HAVE to visit every time you attend Walt Disney World. My goal in this series is to give you a glimpse into the thrills and MAGIC* each park holds. Now, let’s make our way on over to Disney’s Hollywood Studios! Memorable Moments The attractions at Disney’s Hollywood Studios […]

Memorable Moments

The attractions at Disney’s Hollywood Studios appeal to people from all walks of life. Children can venture to Pixar Place to make small talk with Mr. Potato Head before hopping on Toy Story Midway Mania. Both teens and adults can enjoy the stomach-dropping thrill rides of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster and the Tower of Terror. Looking to get your educational fix? Try the Art of Disney Animation and Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream. If you desire attractions fit for the whole family or if you need to get out of the heat, the Great Movie Ride and Muppet*Vision 3D are perfect crowd pleasers.

Awesome Atmosphere

Quite the happenin’ place to be!

Open your eyes to the nostalgia of Hollywood’s Golden Age! As you walk down Hollywood Boulevard, let yourself escape to the past. Peruse and select a thing or two from “The Darkroom” and “L.A. Shop Cinematic Storage”; shops that pay homage to a magical time in film-making. Stop and admire the classic cars…they’re a great photo-op! Disney’s Hollywood Studios allow the Baby Boomers to reminisce their days of adolescence watching the Mickey Mouse Club (in COLOR) while letting the youngin’s time travel back to a slower paced period before computers and video games. It’s an ambiance that creates “a Hollywood that never was—and always will be” – Michael Eisner.

Good Grub

Some of my favorite meals have been at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. When I went to Disney World for the very first time, my most memorable meal was at the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater. The concept of eating at a drive-in theater INSIDE was almost too much for my six-year-old mind to comprehend. It was out of this world! *pause for a groan and eye roll* Experiencing the dancing hotdog and soft drink commercial as my parents had in their childhood gave me a “taste” (too punny?) of the past.

Ahhh, the comforts of home.

Another restaurant worth mentioning is the 50’s Prime Time Café. “Uncle Gary” made my dad remove his hat and put my husband in charge of passing out menus. He made sure my mom finished her green beans before he took her plate away and referred to me (to my elation) as “Princess.” Disney bumped it up a notch and made eating at a diner not just a meal, but an experience. Just make sure you keep your elbows off the table!

Innovative Illumination

Fantasmic! is a unique fireworks experience in a league of its own. Sorcerer Mickey takes you on an immersive adventure full of heroes, villains, and many of your favorite Disney characters. You’ll be captivated by water and fire pyrotechnics while appreciating the musical splendor of familiar Disney melodies. If you’re worried about getting a great seat, think about reserving a spot using the Fantasmic Dining Package. You’ll enjoy a scrumptious meal before enjoying an enchanting show. If you’re looking to become even more involved, you can “glow with the show” by purchasing mouse ears that light up in sync with the performance.

Completely Captivating

If you’re traveling with a lot of people, sitting together on rides and captivation’s is no small feat. Such attractions as the American Idol Experience (shameless plug here), Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage and the Voyage of the Little Mermaid make it easy for whole families and groups to enjoy the park together. This unique feature, in addition to the constant sidewalk performances like Mulch, Sweat & Shears, Jedi Training Academy and the Citizens of Hollywood mean no waiting for your group to be entertained. You can have your turkey leg and eat it too!

What do you think of Disney’s Hollywood Studios? Which park do you favor? Which park would you like me to delve into next? Let’s get the party started in the comment section!